Copyright 2007-2008, Will Johnson, [mailto:wjhonson@aol.com wjhonson@aol.com], Professional Genealogist, All Rights Reserved. This page is locked, if you'd like to add or correct anything, please email me. I am available for hire to assist you to trace your family or create a biography of you or your relative. I charge $25 per hour.

This article should be cited as:<blockquote>"William J Clinton", by Will Johnson, professional genealogist [mailto:wjhonson@aol.com wjhonson@aol.com], at CountyHistorian.com URL: http://www.countyhistorian.com/cecilweb/index.php/William_J_Clinton, copyright 2007-8, all rights reserved.</blockquote>

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This page is locked, if you'd like to add or correct anything, please email me. I am available for hire to assist you to trace your family or create a biography of you or your relative. I charge $25 per hour.

==Bill Clinton==

==Bill Clinton==

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In 1976 Clinton was elected Attorney General of Arkansas and in 1978 [[Governor of Arkansas]] for a 2-year term. He was defeated when he ran for re-election in 1980, but then reclaimed the Governorship in 1982 and remained Governor for ten more years. In 1992, while Governor of Arkansas, he ran for and was elected President of the United States and then was re-elected in 1996.

In 1976 Clinton was elected Attorney General of Arkansas and in 1978 [[Governor of Arkansas]] for a 2-year term. He was defeated when he ran for re-election in 1980, but then reclaimed the Governorship in 1982 and remained Governor for ten more years. In 1992, while Governor of Arkansas, he ran for and was elected President of the United States and then was re-elected in 1996.

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In 2000, after his term as President had ended, he and Hillary moved from Washington, DC to [[New York]], where Hillary was elected a US Senator from New York in 2000, becoming the first First Lady to be elected to public office. She ran on the Democratic ticket for the US Presidential Election of 2008 in a field of eight candidates. During her campaign both Bill and their daughter Chelsea campaigned for Hillary. Hillary has recently conceded her run, throwing her support behind Barack Obama the only remaining Democratic contender.

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In 2000, after his term as President had ended, he and Hillary moved from Washington, DC to [[New York]], where Hillary was elected a US Senator from New York in 2000, becoming the first First Lady to be elected to public office. She ran on the Democratic ticket for the US Presidential Election of 2008 in a field of eight candidates. During her campaign both Bill and their daughter Chelsea campaigned for Hillary. Hillary conceded her run, throwing her support behind Barack Obama the only remaining Democratic contender, who was then elected. Barack named Hilary Secretary of State, and in 2013 she resigned that position.

This page is locked, if you'd like to add or correct anything, please email me. I am available for hire to assist you to trace your family or create a biography of you or your relative. I charge $25 per hour.

Commonly known as Bill Clinton, he was born William Jefferson Blythe III, weighing six pounds eight ounces and by Caesarian section, at the Julia Chester Hospital in Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas on 19 Aug 1946. Although both his parents had other children by other partners, he was the only child of the couple William Jefferson Blythe Jr and his wife Virginia Dell Cassidy. (Although some databases report his suffix as "IV", I've seen nothing in my research that would make me think his father was a III, instead of a Junior.)

Bill Clinton was born posthumously, his father having died in a car accident on 17 May 1946 near Sikeston, Scott County, Missouri. His car overturned and he was either thrown from it, or crawled away only to die from drowning in a nearby drainage ditch. Four years later on 19 Jun 1950, in Hot Springs, Hot Spring County, Arkansas, his mother Virginia married Roger "Dude" Clinton, who had family in Hot Springs. Dude with his brother's help had set-up "Roger Clinton Buick" in Hope, and that is how he met Virginia.

The family moved to Hot Spring County at some point. In 1962, in Garland County, Arkansas William Jefferson Blythe, legally had his name changed to William Jefferson Clinton.

On 11 Oct 1975, in Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas, he married Hillary Diane Rodham (b. 1947). He had met and began dating Hillary while both were students at Yale University. They had one child, Chelsea Victory Clinton, on 27 Feb 1980 in Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas.

In 1976 Clinton was elected Attorney General of Arkansas and in 1978 Governor of Arkansas for a 2-year term. He was defeated when he ran for re-election in 1980, but then reclaimed the Governorship in 1982 and remained Governor for ten more years. In 1992, while Governor of Arkansas, he ran for and was elected President of the United States and then was re-elected in 1996.

In 2000, after his term as President had ended, he and Hillary moved from Washington, DC to New York, where Hillary was elected a US Senator from New York in 2000, becoming the first First Lady to be elected to public office. She ran on the Democratic ticket for the US Presidential Election of 2008 in a field of eight candidates. During her campaign both Bill and their daughter Chelsea campaigned for Hillary. Hillary conceded her run, throwing her support behind Barack Obama the only remaining Democratic contender, who was then elected. Barack named Hilary Secretary of State, and in 2013 she resigned that position.

"Bill Clinton", ancestry research by William Addams Reitwiesner, where he states that: "The following material on the immediate ancestry of Bill Clinton is taken almost verbatim from Gary Boyd Roberts, Ancestors of American Presidents, First Authoritative Edition [Santa Clarita, Cal.: Boyer, 1995]."

First in His Class, David Maraniss. Simon & Schuster, New York. 1995. ISBN 0671871099

He was married four to five times, one being questionable. He first married seventeen-year-old Virginia Adele Gash Dec 1935 in Medill, Oklahoma. Divorce papers were filed a year later in Dallas "...after Adele had left the Sherman farmhouse and W.J. had sent her clothes on in a suitcase." (Maraniss, p26) On 17 Jan 1938 Adele gave birth, in Austin, Texas to a son Henry Leon Blythe, listing W.J. as the father. Adele later stated that she visited W.J. at times, and one of these times became pregnant by him. Adele married secondly, shortly after 1939, to a Mr Ritzenthaler some-time police chief of Brawley California, and he adopted Henry Leon. He died about 1969/70. She married thirdly or perhaps lastly to a Mr Coffelt

William Blythe's second marriage took place 11 Aug 1938 in Ardmore, Oklahoma to twenty-year-old Maxine Hamilton. They were divorced nine months later after after, according to the divorce papers, he had abandoned her in Los Angeles.

His third marriage was to Adele Gash's younger sister Faye in 1940. They divorced after a few months. His fourth marriage is mentioned in an article in the New York Times: "The President's father, William Jefferson Blythe 3d, was married in 1941 in Jackson County, Missouri, to a Kansas City woman, Wanetta Ellen Alexander, The Kansas City Star and The New York Daily News reported. Court records show that Mrs. Alexander was not granted a divorce until 13 April 1944, seven months after Mr. Blythe married Virginia Cassidy, the President's mother, in Arkansas, the newspapers said." His article at Wikipedia, is more specific stating that this marriage took place: "On 3 May 1941..."

On 24 Apr 1943, he enlisted or re-enlisted in the Army. Around this same time, Virginia Dell "Ginger" Cassidy was at Tri-State Hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana studying to be a nurse. He then married her, as his fifth wife on 3 Sep 1943 in Texarkana, Miller County, Arkansas. In mid-October, he went for a tour of duty overseas for World War II. David Maraniss reports that "...his military records indicate that Blythe did not arrive home from Italy until December 1 and was honorably discharged at Camp Shelby, Mississippi on 7 Dec 1945". (Maraniss, pg 27-8) He and Virginia went to live in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois for a short time, where "... he got back his old job as a salesman for the Manbee Equipment Company." (see excerpt from My Life, by Bill Clinton) His mother died Feb 1946 and her obituary calls him "...W.J. Blythe of Chicago...."

In Bill Clinton's autobiography, he states that his father and Ginger had just bought a house in the Chicago suburb of Forest Park but couldn't move in for a few months. Since Ginger was pregnant, they decided she should go back to Hope to wait until they could move in. It was while he was coming to Hope that he died in a car accident on 17 May 1946 near Sikeston, Scott County, Missouri. He was driving too fast for the conditions, and his car overturned. He was either thrown or got out of his car, and was eventually found hours later, some distance away, drowned in a drainage ditch.

He is buried at Rose Hill Cemetery, Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas. Virginia was pregnant and gave birth to William Jefferson Blythe III (now known as President Bill Clinton) on 19 Aug 1946.

US World War II Army Enlistment Records 1938-1946 showing "William J Blythe; born 1917, white; of Caddo, Louisiana; enlisted Apr 24, 1943; private, no branch assignment; enlisted for the duration of the war; 3 years of high school; Civil occupation Salesman; Seperated without dependents"

"Bill Clinton", ancestry research by William Addams Reitwiesner, where he states that: "The following material on the immediate ancestry of Bill Clinton is taken almost verbatim from Gary Boyd Roberts, Ancestors of American Presidents, First Authoritative Edition [Santa Clarita, Cal.: Boyer, 1995]."

First in His Class, David Maraniss. Simon & Schuster, New York. 1995. ISBN 0671871099

Virginia Cassidy was born 6 Jun 1923 in Hope, Hempstead County, Arkansas to James Eldridge Cassidy and his wife Edith Valeria Grisham. She grew up in the area of Hope where her father was a truck driver and her mother was a nurse. She was married five times, twice to the same man.

In 1943 Virginia Dell "Ginger" Cassidy was at Tri-State Hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana studying to be a nurse. While there she met William Jefferson Blythe Jr who would become her first husband. On 24 Apr 1943, he had enlisted or re-enlisted in the Army. They were married 3 Sep 1943 in Texarkana, Miller County, Arkansas. He then, in mid-October, went for a tour of duty overseas for World War II. Virginia finished up her training and went back to Hope where she lived with her parents and worked as a nurse. Just after Bill returned in December 1945, he and Virginia went to live in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois for three months, where "...Bill had a job waiting for him... selling heavy equipment...." (Maraniss p27)

Virginia and Bill were going to buy a house in a Chicago suburb, and had put money down on it, but it would not be ready for a few months. Since she was pregnant she went to live with her parents until the house would be ready to move into. She was living in Hope with her parents when she got the news that her husband had died in an auto accident. She was pregnant and gave birth to William Jefferson Blythe III in 1946, who later became President Bill Clinton.

Virginia was still living with, or near, her parents in Hope, when she met her second husband Roger "Dude" Clinton.

Roger "Dude" Clinton was born 25 Jul 1909 in Dardenelle, Yell County, Arkansas but had moved with his family in 1919 to Hot Spring County. Around 1946, with his brother's help, Roger had started the "Roger Clinton Buick" Company in Hope, Arkansas. Roger Clinton and Virginia Cassidy, commonly called Ginger, had one child, Roger Cassidy Clinton on 25 Jul 1956.

Bill, Virginia and Roger

Virginia with Barbra Streisand

In April 1962, while living in Hot Springs, she filed for a divorce which was granted on 15 May 1962. They reconciled and were remarried in August. Dude Clinton died Nov 1967 in Hot Springs.
Ginger next married George Jefferson "Jeff" Dwire (b 1926) on 3 Jan 1968 in Hot Springs. It is unclear at the moment whether he died or they divorced, but she lastly married Richard "Dick" Kelley on 17 Jan 1982. One of her last public appearances was at a concert by her friend Barbra Streisand. She died 6 Jan 1994 at her home in Hot Springs, Arkansas and is buried beside her first husband at Rose Hill Cemetery in Hope. Barbra Streisand attended her funeral. Virginia's last husband Richard survived her.

"Thousands Mourn President's Mother", (story about funeral), News Record (North Hills, Pennsylvania), 9 Jan 1994, pg A3 stating such bits as: "Barbara Streisand attended the funeral", "Virginia died of breast cancer", "funeral was in Hot Springs", "Richard Kelley and Roger Clinton were there", "eulogy by Rev. John Miles of St. James Methodist Church of Little Rock".

"Bill Clinton", ancestry research by William Addams Reitwiesner, where he states that: "The following material on the immediate ancestry of Bill Clinton is taken almost verbatim from Gary Boyd Roberts, Ancestors of American Presidents, First Authoritative Edition [Santa Clarita, Cal.: Boyer, 1995]."

First in His Class, David Maraniss. Simon & Schuster, New York. 1995. ISBN 0671871099

William Jefferson "Willie" Blythe was born 21 Jan 1883 in Ripley, Tippah County, Mississippi, the son of Henry Blythe and his wife Frances "Fanny".

He married Lou Birchie Ayers about 1906. They later lived in or around the town of Sherman in Grayson County, Texas. An article in the Washington Post states that the Texas Blythe's say they moved to Sherman from Tippah County in 1909. If true, then he must have married Lou in Mississippi.

William and Lou had nine children, in the following order:

Clifford P Blythe born 1907/8 Mississippi

Raymond W "Doc" Blythe born 1909 Mississippi, who died aged 19 of "yellow jaundice" in Texas

Lou Birchie Ayers was born 9 Feb 1893 in Mississippi, the child of "Lige Ayers" (per her obituary), a native of Georgia. In the 1910 census she is 19, in the 1920 census she is 27, and in the 1930 she is 39. Her tombstone states she was born 1891, but her obituary states "9 Feb 1893".

She married William Jefferson Blythe about 1906. They later lived in or around the town of Sherman in Grayson County, Texas. An article in the Washington Post states that the Texas Blythe's say they moved to Sherman from Tippah County in 1909. If true, then he must have married Lou in Mississippi.

In the 1910, 1920 and 1930 census they are enumerated in Grayson County, Texas. In Feb 1935, William Jefferson Blythe died. A little over a year later, the farm, on which they had, in 1934, taken a mortgage, was sold for delinquency. The family then moved into downtown Sherman, and Lou took a job as a hotel chambermaid.

Lou married secondly to Avery Barron on 5 May 1942 in Durant, Oklahoma. Lou died in Sherman, Grayson County, Texas 15 Feb 1946, and is buried in the West Hill Cemetery there. Her obituary states that she leaves : "...her husband; four sons, Clifford Blythe of Dallas; W. J. Blythe of Chicago; Glenn Blythe and Earnest Blythe both of Sherman; four daughters, Mrs. Everett Mitchell, Mrs. Carl Ramey and Miss Cora Lucille Blythe, all of Sherman and Mrs. Lloyd Linsteadt of Denison; a brother, Tom Ayers of Blanchard, Oklahoma; a sister Mrs. Luther Mattox of Rinzi, Mississippi; and twelve grandchildren."

"Lou Birchie Ayers Blythe" on Findagrave stating : "Lou Birchie Ayers Blythe, born 9 Feb 1883 Tippah County, Mississippi, died 15 Feb 1946 Sherman, Grayson County, Texas, buried West Hill Cemetery in Sherman", but *note* that apparently Lou has no headstone, so this is not an independent witness to her dates, and her birthyear is obviously in error.

"West Hill Cemetery", Grayson County, TX Genweb, showing : "Birchie Ayers Blythe BARRON 1891, 15 Feb 1946 [wife of] Avery Barron Feb 1891, 15 May 1967; wed 5 May 1942. D/o Mr and Mrs Lige Ayers, wed William Jefferson Blythe 17 Aug 1906" and linking to Avery's and also Lou's obituary here. The cemetery data does *not* appear to be based on a headstone, but rather on some form on annotation or compilation, and it does not name its sources.

"Bill Clinton", ancestry research by William Addams Reitwiesner, where he states that: "The following material on the immediate ancestry of Bill Clinton is taken almost verbatim from Gary Boyd Roberts, Ancestors of American Presidents, First Authoritative Edition [Santa Clarita, Cal.: Boyer, 1995]."

First in His Class, David Maraniss. Simon & Schuster, New York. 1995. ISBN 0671871099

"Bill Clinton", ancestry research by William Addams Reitwiesner, where he states that: "The following material on the immediate ancestry of Bill Clinton is taken almost verbatim from Gary Boyd Roberts, Ancestors of American Presidents, First Authoritative Edition [Santa Clarita, Cal.: Boyer, 1995]."

Henry Patton Foote Blythe was born about 1851/2 in Mississippi. About 1875 he married Frances Ellen Hines in Mississippi, and probably in Tippah County. They had seven children before his death which occurred between 1895 and 1900.

Frances Ellen "Fanny" Hines was born Dec 1858 in Mississippi. About 1875 she married Henry Blythe in Mississippi, possibly in Tippah County. Henry died between 1895 and 1900 in Tippah County, Mississippi.